In Search of Egypt Ancient Treasures

A 21- Day Private Tour of Egypt - Leave USA any day ( subject to availability ) . Year Round

You choose your travel date: Private Egyptologist. Private Air-Conditioned Vehicle .
Private Chauffeur Even for the Nile Cruise Shore Excursions

Honeymoon or Anniversary on the Nile

Egypt in Depth : Cairo , Alexandria , Abu Simbel, the Highlights of Upper Egypt , Nubia , an 8 day Breath-taking Nile Cruise , Dendera , Abydos and even Minya to tour Nefertiti's Capital of Tel Al-Amarna .

See the Pyramids,the Sphinx, Alexandria , the timeless temples along the Nile in Luxury fit for a Pharaoh. Tour starts weekly in Cairo year round. How would you like to cruise the Nile the way the Pharaoh & Cleopatra did ? These graceful boats will allow you to cruise the great river in a stately Pharaonic style. Our Egyptian adventure" cruise visits Cairo, all of Upper Egypt's top sights, and gives you the chance to see the Ancient city of Alexander the Great , the timeless Nile as adventurers have seen it throughout the ages. Dendera Abydos , and more treasures

Suggested Itinerary:

DAY 1 - DEPARTURE ( Daily)

Leave any day ( Subject to availability of air space & Nile cruise) , we take off from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, bound for Cairo in economy class.

Round-trip transatlantic airfare, including air taxes, from New York to Cairo and return on : British Airways, Air France, Swiss , Lufthansa or another IATAN airline, subject to seat availability at the time of reservation. Business class upgrade is only available on Egyptair, Turkish Airlines and Olympic Airways. If you prefer to fly NON STOP JFK CAIRO JFK, then its Egyptair.

For West Coast passengers: Add -On : $ 350 for most major cities : SFO ,LAX, SAN, SEA etc.
Non-stop to Europe, one connection and off to Cairo .

DAY 2 - CAIRO - Daily ( subject to cruise schedule and availability)
Upon arrival, our local rep. will escort you to your comfortable hotel.
All transfers in Egypt are on a private basis. Private air conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur .
Visa may be secured upon arrival , please pay the $ 15 fee in cash at Cairo Airport , please pay in USD or Euro , this is available for a limited number of nationalities such as American , Australian, NZ , Canadian, EU , Singaporean, and Japanese Citizens , if in doubt about your eligibility , please contact the Egyptian Consulate nearest you . After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you to the hotel .
Hotel in Cairo ( or similar) : Four Seasons : Superior room , Grand Hyatt club level room, ( you may mix & match Cairo stay ), J. W. Marriott or similar

DAY 3 - GIZA (cBL)
After breakfast, we'll motor to the edge of Cairo, to the mysterious Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. The museum of the Royal Barge of Cheops The museum is built over the rectangular pit that housed the Royal Barge for thousands of years , the wooden boat was readied for the king's daily journey with the sun god, Ra . Discovered in 1954, in a completely dismantled state, the 43-metre (140-foot) cedar boat is a rare window on the Royal boats used by the kings of Ancient Egypt.

Those who are fit and adventurous enough may wish to penetrate into the heart of the Great Pyramid, to the King's Chamber your ticket is included with our compliments (or the interior of Kephren Pyramid). Taking a camel ride (Included) is entirely your own choice!

Continue to Dahshour, the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit the great pyramid of Senfru, father of Cheops, and other structure:

The "Discovery" of Dahshour:
For almost half a century, the great field of huge pyramids near the desert village of Dahshour, 25 miles south of Cairo, has been off limits to the public. Confined within the perimeter of a military base were many pyramids, including the great 4500-year-old pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops. Senfru's pyramid, the largest in Egypt until his son built Giza's Great Pyramid, is rhomboidal in shape: it tapers more distinctly on its upper half. All the pyramids were coated in thick plaster at one time. Most have lost these protective, decorative sheaths, but Senfru's--miraculously--is still in place.
Lunch is included at a local restaurant or at your hotel.
In the evening we return to Giza Plateau for the Sound & Light Show.

DAY 4 - CAIRO (cBL)
Today we see Cairo's major sights: the Egyptian Museum, including the Mummies Room, The Manial Royal Palace, former residence of Egypt's last crown prince and the Nilometer.
Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon tour Saladin's Citadel, the Alabaster Mosque,and the 12th Century Khan El Khalili Bazaar district

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals, you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family ( T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town):
This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo ! You'll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 5 - LUXOR /Denderah and Abydos Temples (cBLD)
Early morning breakfast in Cairo , then head for the airport for your morning flight to Luxor , from the airport proceed inland to Dendera and Abydos Temples: Lunch box is included and prepared by your hotel ( including a bottle of water ).

Off to explore the treasure of Ancient Egypt, we drive inland to tour Denderah & Abydos Temples. Among the best preserved in Egypt. This temple as a sight to hold. Indiana Jones would have felt at home, with the massive stones & underground passages :

DENDERAH IN A DAY

We'll travel to Denderah to visit the Temple of Hathor, one of the best-preserved in all of Egypt, and also one of the most important. In the ancient beliefs, Hathor was the consort of the god of daylight, ruler of the west, and protector or the underworld. In the manner of wise desert wayfarers, we'll leave before dawn to take advantage of cool temperatures. Our air-conditioned van will take us through timeless Nile-side villages, where life revolves around the irrigation and harvest of crops. Finally, we'll reach the temple precincts. We'll take note of the unusually deep tombs, and pass under the celebrated Zodiac, in a chapel dedicated to Osiris. (Denderah is the traditional site of his rebirth.) Our full day will also include a visit to Abydos, traditional home of Osiris, god of the underworld, and a stopping point on the journey of wayfaring souls. We'll enjoy a box lunch, and return to Luxor late in the afternoon .
Hotel : Old Winter Palace Hotel Nile View Room ( subject to availability)

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DAY 6 - LUXOR - Deir El Medina - Medinet Habu (cBD)
Breakfast is included at your hotel.
Morning tour of the small yet most charming Luxor Museum .

On to tour of Deir El Medinah, the first known "Workers Village" these were the true creative heroes who built the temples & tombs for the mighty Pharaohs of the Nile Kingdom.

Morning tour of Deir El Medinah, the first known "Workers Village" these were the true creative heroes who built the temples & tombs for the mighty Pharaohs of the Nile Kingdom.

Deir El Medinah is on Luxor's west bank you get a totally different perspective on ancient Egyptian life, at the ancient workers' settlement of Deir el-Medinah. While most of the imposing stone monuments and sites of Egypt honor the lives and after-lives of royalty, Deir el-Medinah gives us unique and surprising insights into the ordinary citizens who constructed and decorated the tombs.

Here we'll see the excavated homes shared by laborers with their domestic animals. These quarters were surprisingly large, with three good-sized rooms, courtyard, kitchen, and even storage cellars. While ancient Egypt might not have been a workers' paradise, we'll see that artisans and builders were highly regarded in their community. We are proud to be the only operator to offer regular visits to this singular ancient settlement in its tour and cruise programs.
We'll include also Medinet Habu and the Ramesseum. Return to your hotel . Remainder of the day at leisure.

DAY 7 - LUXOR - Nile Cruise (cBLD)
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we tour the Valley of the Kings, including King Tut's tomb, Valley of the Queens, Queen Hatshepsut's Temple and the Colossi of Memnon. Return to the Nile to check-in on board your cruise. Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin. Evening Sound & Light show at Karnak Temple.

DAY 8 - Esna Locks- On Board your Nile Cruise(cBLD)
Enjoy a grand day of sailing. We pass through Esna locks , on to Edfu where we dock for the night.

DAY 9 - EDFU & ASWAN - On Board your Nile Cruise (cBLD)
In Edfu, we board horse-drawn carriages for the ride to the Temple of Horus. The best preserved temple in Egypt. Returning to our ship, we set sail for Aswan .Complimentary Galabya , you may wish to try on for the evening when there's a jolly galabia party aboard.

DAY 10 -ASWAN - & Abu Simbel (BLD)
Get ready for the tour of Aswan Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, and Philae Temple : board a motor launch to visit the Island temple of Philae , dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS :

The Mystery of Isis

Two millennia ago the Mediterranean world was enthralled by the mystery of Isis:

"I, Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal man hath ever seen me unveiled."

Called Aset by the ancient Egyptians, the goddess was a Madonna in the Mediterranean tradition that stretches far, far back to the primitive Mother Goddess from Anatolia, home to some of the oldest human communities on earth.

Isis was the powerful and quick-witted protector of her son Horus, the Sun God. Ancient peoples throughout the Mediterranean regarded Isis and Horus as the perfect Madonna and Child. Another legend says she was
also the mother of the fertility god Min who, judging from the depiction of him on temple walls, needed no help from Viagra!

Because of her wisdom and skill at protection, she was admired as a good magician capable of healing the sick and protecting the dead in their journey to the Underworld.

before we head back for our lunch aboard. In the afternoon we board a graceful felucca and cruise among the islands of the Nile.

Abu Simbel: By Air Aswan / Abu Simbel / Aswan
Depending on flight confirmation your Abu Simbel flights may be a morning or an afternoon one : Abu Simbel may be considered the highlight of your Egyptian adventure. Fly south over Lake Nasser.
Your private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private Egyptologist will be waiting for you in Abu Simbel.

Jacquie Kennedy & Abu Simbel:
All Americans alive during the 1960s remember President John F Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Most Americans from that time also remember Abu Simbel, the dramatic, ancient Pharaonic temple threatened by the rising waters blocked by the new Aswan High Dam.It’s worth remembering that it was Jacquie Kennedy who provided crucial support for the mammoth rescue project. Without her help, Abu Simbel might have been lost.Read More.

In Abu Simbel the larger temple dedicated to Ramses the Great , colossal figures of Ramses are seated with the gods and attended by his queen and daughters.
The smaller temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari, who appears as Hathor, the goddess of love, joy and fertility, symbolized by the benevolent cow. We explore these fine temple admiring their ancient aura and artistry, after which we fly back to Aswan Airport and your Nile Cruise.

DAY 11 - KOM OMBO (BLD)
Morning at leisure or join us for an optional tour to Abu Simbel by plane.
In the afternoon we sail for Kom Ombo. Where we dock for the night.

DAY 12 - KOM OMBO (BLD)
We explore the twin Temples of Haroeris , the Sun God, and Sobek , the Crocodile God, at Kom Ombo, . Returning to our ship in time for tea. We set sail for Luxor.

DAY 13 - LUXOR (BLD)
After breakfast, on to the Gigantic Temple of Karnak & the great temple of Luxor are our goal this morning , after lunch we see the most recent discoveries housed in the relatively new & charming Luxor Museum. Return to our Nile cruiser in time for afternoon tea

DAY 14- LUXOR/ CAIRO / Alexandria (BL)
After breakfast, we check out, and our flight back to Cairo , at the airport in Cairo proceed by private air-conditioned vehicle to Alexandria; lunch is included enroute . In Alexandria , check-in: the deluxe Palestine Montazah Hotel, over looking the Mediterranean. In the evening we head for a leisurely walk through the down town and maybe a cup of tea at one of the street cafes. .

DAY 15 - Alexandria (BLD)
Full day tour of the Greco-Roman Catacombs, the Roman Amphitheater, Qayet Bey Fortress built on the same site of the ancient wonder of the world : the famous Alexandria Light House. A brief stop at " El Selsela" the site of the Underwater reserve where Cleopatra Place was discovered, as well as Caesar Kiosk. Lunch at a local restaurant. On to the New Library of Alexandria before we head back to your hotel for a short break. In the evening your guide will call on you for a walking tour of the Raml and city center with tea or coffee served at one of the local cafe. Dinner is included back at the hotel .

The New Alexandria Library

DAY 16 - Alexandria - Wadi El Natroun Monasteries / Cairo (BL)
After breakfast , we 'll visit the museum in Alexandria , the building was originally built in 1926 for the US consulate in Alexandria and is a masterpiece in 1920's architecture & Mediterranean style buildings , the USA sold the building at a token price to the Egyptian state to turn into a museum , lunch is included at a loacl restaurant, in the afternoon we tour Zanket el setat and the local souks, then its off to the desert highway , heading south for Cairo , we'll stop at Wadi El Natroun monastery almost midway to Cairo , where early Coptic Christians retreated here to escape the Roman persecution in the 4th century AD. The Egyptian Pope of Alexandria is always chosen from the Monks of wadi El Natroun. Reach Cairo early evening and your hotel.

DAY 17 - Cairo (cB)
Full day at leisure, enjoy a day of relaxation.

DAY 18 - CAIRO (cBL)
The Culture of Cairo

Today we’ll explore deep into the heart of Cairo, and get to know its daily rhythms, its spirituality, its history, and its modern diversions. We’ll start early, with a visit to a local market, with an immense variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables on offer, both familiar and exotic.

You’ll see that shopping in Cairo goes far beyond a supermarket experience. Be prepared for whispers, gestures, shouting, and controlled chaos. It’s all part of the bargaining process, engaged in by women in traditional modest garb as well as others in Western dress.

Then it’s on to the Museum of Islamic Art, with its tapestries, textiles, swords and other objects exemplifying one of the world’s great decorative traditions. We’ll continue to the Gayer-Anderson House, a serene and classic domestic oasis, right down to its central fountain and exquisite furnishings. Our visit is also a journey into a vanished way of life—the residence is actually two traditional medieval Cairo houses restored by an English physician to a former king. We’ll stop for lunch at a restaurant where Cairenes go, then visit the Bab an-Nasr, the Gate of Victory in Cairo’s old walls. You’ll even see graffiti that survives from soldiers of Napoleon and of the British Empire, among the many who passed this way.

DAY 19 - CAIRO - El Minya (cBLD)
After breakfast we head to Cairo railway station to board the train for El-Minya about 245 kilometers south of Cairo ( 3-4 hours ride ), yet depending on the season , we may use an air conditioned vehicle.
For Egyptians this provincial capital marks the divide between Upper and Lower Egypt.
This is a special tour to the capital of Nefertiti and Akhnaton kingdom . When they had their bloodless religious revolution , to escape from the ever growing power of the church - then of the might Amon-Ra.

Lunch box will be included from Cairo , with bottled water.
Upon arrival we proceed to tour Beni Hassan ( 20 Kilometers south of Minya ) to tour the ancient tombs necropolis , with an commanding view, a superb location overlooking the Nile Valley and the Nile River.

The tombs are cut into the cliffs , the tombs mostly date from the 11th and 12th dynasties about 2000 years BC. Most of the tombs are unfinished.
When Akhnaton died, the whole capital moved back again to Luxor, and the old powerful grip of Amon-Ra Chief god priests, declared Akhnaton a heretic. And all the work on the tombs in Beni Hassan was abandoned.

We cant guarantee which tomb will be open on any given day , but samples include tombs of Kheti and Amenemhat, then wonder among the desolate ruins of Tel El Amarana the Ancient Capital of the self exiled Pharaoh Akhnaton and his queen : Nefertiti.
Dinner and overnight at 3 stars modest hotel ( there is no 4 or 5 stars accommodation in El Minya). Private touring as usual.

Depending on your comfort level , driving condition , traffic etc, we may have to tour Tuna El Gabal Necropolis tomorrow

Nefertiti Turns Egypt Upside Down!!

The first bloodless religious revolution against the established church in Ancient Egypt
And the seat of power that rested with the priests in Karnak

DAY 20 - El Minya - Cairo (cBLD)
Depending on your comfort level , driving condition , traffic etc, we may tour Tuna El Gabal Necropolis yesterday or today. Before we head back to Cairo by train or private air conditioned vehicle. Dinner is included back in Cairo at Sonesta or J. W. Marriott

DAY 21 - Departure (cB)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Bon Voyage

RATES per person, in deluxe accommodations, in US$: FROM JFK

Dec 20 - Jan 5 & Easter Weeks: Please add 20 % holiday supplement.

AIRFARE NOTES:

• Fly from other cities: San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle-Tacoma, Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth for an additional $350

Deluxe Hotels & Cruise - RATES per person in USD $
Sample of the Deluxe Nile Cruise :

• M/S Mojito - Suite
• M/S Monaco - Suite
• The Ultra deluxe MS Queen TiYi - Suite
  
• The M/S Amarco - Presidential Suite
  
• The Movenpick New Royal Lotus or the Movenpick MS Radamis II
  

YOUR TOUR INCLUDES :

• Egyptian domestic airfares as described in the itinerary in " C " business class , subject to availability at the time of booking
  
• All airport transfers are on a private basis in Egypt. Always on a private basis, private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.
  
• Hotel accommodations , always ultra deluxe, and best available in small towns such Minya ( 3 stars) , including taxes.
  
• Pre set-menu (table d'hôte) meals as indicated in the itinerary above.
  
• Deluxe Nile cruise , with all shore excursions and meals .
  
• Complimentary welcome drink upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise.
  
• Complimentary welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise.
  
• Large bottle of water ( per person ) delivered to you cabin daily while you are on board the Nile Cruise.
  
• Tea or coffee and bottled water with each / every meal while you are on board the Nile Cruise.
  
• Top Professional private : Guide/Egyptologist , even for your Nile cruise shore excursions
  
• Private guided sightseeing by air-conditioned vehicle , private chauffeur , even for your Nile cruise shore excursions , including all admissions fees.
  
• Abu Simbel Excursion by air.

Not included :

• Insurance and trip cancellation insurance
• International air fare, please ask us for details

• Visa may be secured upon arrival , please pay the $ 15 fee in cash at Cairo Airport , please pay in USD or Euro , this is available for a limited number of nationalities such as American , Australian, NZ , Canadian, EU , Singaporean, and Japanese Citizens , if in doubt about your eligibility , please contact the Egyptian Consulate nearest you . After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you to the hotel .
• Tips

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